Calwineries Blog

The beauty of wine country is both poetic and inspirational; yet representing the true nature of wine is a seemingly impossible task. But for Bret Lyman, its just a day at the office.

As the Sonoma Valley Film Festival approaches, Bret is putting the final touches on Crush, a Don Sebastiani & Sons Film. This film documents the journey of winemaker Richard Bruno through Crush. Crush offers a unique view of what really happens during crush at a world renowned winery. Take a journey through Crush with Don Sebastiani & Sons;

Since the 1970s, the U.S. wine industry has been driven by varietal wines – those labeled by type of grape, e.g. Chardonnay or Merlot. These were the years of America’s wine renaissance, and the industry transitioned from using predominantly generic names, e.g. Chablis and Burgundy.

Many of you know the Stags Leap wine region for their world class Cabernets, but one of Stag Leap’s small wineries is drawing international attention for more than its wine. Quixote Winery is the only building in America designed by Viennese artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

The Guinness Book of World Records was originally established to settle drunken arguments in the pubs of Britain and Ireland. This book was the answer to alcohol induced debates that were once only solved through good old fashioned brawls. That is, until 1991, when they banned all alcohol related entries due to fear of litigation. However, the 1979 edition did print these records, which are reproduced below. For edits and additions, please leave a comment below and the list will be updated.

As the international wine industry becomes more and more competitive, wineries are turning to technology to get an edge in the market. The goal is generally to extract as much flavor as possible without extracting too many harsh tannins. A small but growing number of winemakers are using a technique called pneumatage to accomplish this.

When it comes to wine, what happened to the court of public opinion? Does the public even have an opinion? The wine industry has been dominated by a few individuals for such a long time that the voice of the masses has been drowned in a whirlpool of professional wine critics and writers.

The relationship between alcohol and health is undeniably controversial. So much so that National Institutes of Health (NIH) covered up the association between abstinence from alcohol and increased risk of heart disease.

In 1974, the Framingham Study found that the “big four” risk factors for heart disease are high blood pressure, smoking cigarettes, high cholesterol and abstinence from alcohol. However, when the NIH reported the study, they only mentioned three.

> NIH officials said, “Refer to only three major risk factors and remove all reference to alcohol. With all the abuse in this country, we must not say alcohol prevents (coronary heart disease). If you must comment on alcohol, say it has no effect.”

This information was revealed at the recent International Wine and Heart Health Summit at Silverado Resort in February. Cover-ups like this one are not surprising, the NIH is known for selectively reporting information to the public.

While it’s understandable to withhold this type of information, they are jeopardizing the health of responsible drinkers. It is important for the public to receive objective information so they can make decisions on what’s good for their health and what’s not.

In a ruling that has stunned food and wine critics throughout the world, a jury has awarded a Belfast restaurant ?25,000 for a “defamatory” review by Caroline Workman.

The owner of Goodfellas restaurant, Ciaran Convery, brought the suit against Workman in response to a “hatchet job” of a review. As reported by Decanter Magazine, in 2000, Workman described the, “Staff as unhelpful, the cola as flat, and the chicken marsala as ‘so sweet as to be inedible.’” This is clearly not a flattering review, but libel?

While California’s wine industry is stronger than ever, it is no secret that the state is facing increased international competition. Decanter Magazine recently reported that wine exports from New Zealand increased an amazing 30% in 2006.